Латаття

Nymphaea, the water lily, is a genus of aquatic plants, some hardy and some tender, in the family Nymphaeaceae. As of January 2024, the genus holds 65 accepted species. It is found almost all over the world, apart from New Zealand and the Pacific slope of North America. The flowers are emergent or floating, or rarely submerged. Many species are cultivated as ornamental plants, and many cultivars have been bred. The genus name comes from the Greek nymphaia and the Latin nymphaea, which mean "water lily" and were inspired by the nymphs of Greek and Latin mythology. The family Nymphaeaceae, to which the genus belongs, contains five genera and about 70 known species.

Nymphaea odorata, the American white waterlily, can commonly be found in shallow lakes, ponds, and permanent slow moving waters throughout North America. Its flowers have many white petals and prominent yellow stamens, and they are very fragrant. They open each day and close again each night. After pollination, the developing fruit is pulled back under water to mature.

The floral scent of the water lily Nymphaea 'Eldorado' consists mainly of benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, benzyl acetate, trans-α-bergamotene, α-curcumene and cis-α-farnesene, among other compounds. The volatile compounds of Nymphaea 'Eldorado' fall into seven chemical classes: alkenes, alcohols, esters, aldehydes, ketones, alkanes and others. The most common are alkenes and alkanes. Their types and total contents are higher at full flowering than at other flowering stages. Benzyl alcohol, benzyl acetate and benzaldehyde are more abundant in the petals than in other tissues. In the night-blooming Nymphaea prolifera, anisole, veratrole and guaiacol are the key volatile benzenoids released by the flowers. These benzenoids repel aphids from the mother flowers, while daughter and granddaughter flowers are more susceptible to infestation.

The sacred lotus was once thought to be a water lily, but is now recognized as a highly modified eudicot in its own family, Nelumbonaceae. The Ancient Egyptians used the water lilies of the Nile as cultural symbols. There are indications that water lilies were grown in special farms over 4,000 years ago to produce enough flowers for votive offerings. Their petals were found in King Tutankhamun's burial chamber in 1922.

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Related: Arum Lily · Biomuguet · Calla Lily · Crinum Lily · Daylily · Fire Lily · Florhydral · Hydroxycitronellal